Electrics/Electronics/Avionics

Touchprobe RFID takes to the air RFID tags have typically been read over the air using RF energy from an interrogator, obtaining a 96-bit number that makes up its electronic product code. The latest RFID tags can contain 64 kbits or more of data and can be read by simply touching them with an appropriate probe. Read full story

Maintaining electronic connector integrity in corrosive environments Electronic connectors can be found everywhere, from automobiles to airplanes. Consequently, the effects of their failure range from the inconvenient to the tragic. The number of such failures can be reduced by better methods of sealing connectors against the conditions that lead to corrosion. Read full story

Complex networking leads to risk-based development Functional safety management is becoming a hot topic due to the increasing complexity of vehicle electronics and new driver-assistance functions being based on more complex networking of existing systems. With the IEC 61508 standard in place since 2000, the increasing importance of ensuring functional safety in the car has led to the community draft of the specific automotive safety standard. Read full story

FedEx fights fires with foam Fires started by faulty lithium batteries are a major concern for air freight haulers such as Federal Express, which teamed up with Ventura Aerospace to develop an electronics system that smothers fires with foam that lasts up to four hours. Read full story